Recent Uptick in Size and Frequency of Gas Explosions in Urban Areas:

PA:9A 19.3.2013

4 p.m. update: State police explosives experts on scene of Cambria County home explosion

March 19, 2013

PATTON -- State police experts from the Hazardous Device and Explosives Section remain on the scene of this morning's house explosion that left one man dead and at least two other individuals injured, state police said.

"We are treating this as a criminal investigation at this point," said Trooper John Matchik, spokesman for the Ebensburg barracks.The explosion occurred shortly after 9 a.m. at 836 Kepshire Road, Patton.

Article Photos

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Crews work the scene of a house explosion Tuesday morning in Patton.

Matchik did not release the name or age of the man killed in the blast, which leveled the home and left debris strewn across the area.

At least two other individuals who were injured in the explosion were transported to Altoona Regional, but the exact number of victims was not known, Matchik said. The individuals' names and ages were not released.Determining the cause of the explosion would be "pure speculation at this point," Matchik said, adding he could not comment on any criminal history at the property or the possibility of a retaliation-style attack.Investigators are speaking with nearby residents who witnessed the explosion and continue to treat the incident as a criminal investigation, Matchik said."We don't want to rule out anything at this point," Matchik said.State police requested investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to assist in the investigation, Matchik said.William Shaner of Auburndale, Fla., said this morning when reached by phone that he had received a call about an incident at the home of his son, who is also named William Shaner."I don't know what's going on yet myself. I don't have any idea," he said.Shaner said he and his wife are making preparations to fly to Pennsylvania.The house on Kepshire Road is off Route 36 in a rural area.

MI:9P 18.3.2013

Woman Dies in Mobile Home Explosion

OKEMOS, Mich. (WLNS) - One woman has
died after a fire tore through a mobile home in Okemos Monday night.
Officials are not releasing the name of the woman, but her body was
spotted inside the wreckage.It happened around 9p.m. at the Winslow Mobile Home Park on Grand River, near the well-known Spagnuolo's Restaurant.The woman who died used an oxygen tank and was smoking a cigarette, which fire officials have ruled as the cause of the fire.Officials also said the man liked to
make his own ammunition, which Fire Chief Fred Cowper said caused the
fire to accelerate and eventually explode. Five different fire departments had to bring water to the scene since there was no hydrant near the home.Two others nearby homes suffered minor damage. The home was a total loss.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Three people were
injured and two houses burned in a Grand Junction house fire and
explosion caused by a gas leak Tuesday. Nearby residents and two schools
were evacuated.The explosion happened in a home at at 1752
Seventh St., northwest of Colorado Mesa University around 1 p.m.,
according to a news release from the Grand Junction Police Department.
The fire also spread to the house next door at 1742 Seventh St.One
victim of the fire has been released from the hospital, while the other
two will stay overnight for observation, police said.Fire crews
were not able to save the two houses that caught fire, and the homes
were left to burn to eliminate any more escaping gas, police said.Grand
Junction fire crews had been working with Xcel Energy at the site of a
natural gas leak when firefighters saw a fire in the home and called for
more units, police said.As crews were responding to the call, the house exploded because of the gas inside and continued to burn, police said.The fire from the burning house then spread to the house next door.Grand
Junction High School and Tope Elementary School were evacuated, along
with residents from Sixth Street to Ninth Street, and North Avenue to
Bookcliff Avenue, according to the release.Students from Grand
Junction High were evacuated to Sherwood Park, while Tope students were
taken by bus to West Middle School for parent pickup.Officials
reported at 7:30 p.m. that some evacuees have been allowed to return to
their home, while about 75 others will remain evacuated overnight.The homes that will remain evacuated include those within the following boundaries:

- both sides of 7th St. from Elm St. Walnut Ave

- Orchard Ave. to Walnut between 6th St. and 8th St.

The American Red Cross is providing assistance and shelter for anyone who is still evacuated at Grand Junction High School.The
Grand Junction Fire Department is taking evacuees into their homes to
make brief checks and collect necessary items such as medications and
pets. Evacuated residents must meet at the command post in the GJHS
parking lot before 11 p.m. Tuesday to be teamed up with fire department
personnel who will take people to their homes.All lanes of
Seventh Street from Patterson Road to North Avenue were closed, and Xcel
Energy shut off gas to the area, police say.The utility company and fire crews removed manhole covers to release gas from the sewer system.Officials
from School District 51 do not expect that classes will be canceled on
Wednesday, police say, but they will notify parents in the evening if
that changes.Xcel determined that the gas leak is located about 7
feet underground near the area of the fire, and the company sent a crew
to the area to repair the leak, according to the release. The line that
is leaking sends gas to Colorado Mesa University and does not feed gas
to residential areas.The area will remain evacuated until the
leak is repaired because the gas is leaking into the sewer line beneath
the neighborhood, police said.The university currently does not have gas, and about 104 additional buildings do not have power.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. The Associated Press
contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

CO:1P 19.3.2013

Four workers injured in Pekin plant explosion

Photos

Police say four people were injured
Monday in an explosion involving chemical refrigerants at Enviro-Safe
Refrigerants bottling plant at 100 Caroline St. in Pekin. An explosion
blew off a corner of the one-story brick building's roof and wall,
sending bricks and debris onto Burlington Northern railroad tracks.

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